Amla, AB roast the Kangaroo attack

If you are a Australian supporter, you need to pray and pray hard tonight and still believe that miracles do happen! Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers annihilated the Australian bowling attack and set the hosts a near impossible and mammoth 632 for victory. Warner and Ed Cowan survived a hostile opening spell from Steyn and Co. and went into stumps on Day 3 at the WACA at 40/0, still needing a further 592 for a win. Hashim Amla reached a magnificent 18th Test century off the 3rd ball of the day by Mitchell Johnson. He established his supremacy over the bowler quite early on Day 3 when he smashed a rather good delivery in the 3rd over of the day between cover and mid-off for a boundary. He targeted Johnson and again carved him for a couple of consecutive hits to the fence in the left-armer's third over of the day. He kept repeating the pattern and was scoring boundaries at will. Kallis was like the Rock of Gibraltar at the other end. The pair had put on the 50 run stand at over 4 runs per over. The lead was well over 300 and the Australians were on the backfoot. The pair had put on a fluent 81 before the Mitchells combined to remove Kallis for 37. He was caught at fine leg by Mitchell Johnson as he tried to hook Mitchell Starc but could only muster a top edge, falling 22 runs short of 13,000 runs in Test cricket. Meanwhile, Amla continued to pile on the runs. South Africa reached their 300 in the 56th over. The Australian bowlers had managed to peg back the run-rate but could not find a way past the defence of the Proteas batsmen. The visitors went into Lunch at 320/3, an overall lead of 382. Amla was unbeaten on 149 and AB de Villiers was there at the crease on 18. Hashim Amla reached his 150 off just 163 deliveries post Lunch. He, along with AB de Villiers were looking to bat Australia out of the game. The Australian bowlers looked down and out. They were bowling short and wide, down the leg-side, were inconsistent with their line and length and were all over the place. Mitchell Starc, in particular was very disappointing and erratic. Although he had picked up a couple of wickets, he had conceded at over 5 per over. Meanwhile, de Villiers was slowly retuning to his dominating best and matching Amla shot for shot. The pair soon brought up the century stand for the 4th wicket. Both were toying with the bowling now. The boundaries were flowing with ease. It was total carnage! The 400 of the Proteas' innings came up. AB was on the rampage now. Amla had played the innings of his life. He had massacred the hapless Aussie bowling attack. He was finally dismissed for a brilliant 196 off just 221 deliveries to a splendid reflex caught and bowled by Johnson. He left the field to a standing ovation. A fantastic 149 run-stand between him and de Villiers came to an end. Dean Elgar had come out facing a pair on debut. Johnson welcomed him with a searing bouncer. He sent the debutant packing back to the pavilion for a dreaded pair, catching him plumb lbw with the next delivery. Johnson had picked 2 wickets in the over. At last, the Sunday home-crowd had something to cheer about. The hero from Adelaide, Faf du Plessis joined AB at the centre. The latter switched gears. He literally tore into the Australian attack now. He hammered them to all corners of the ground and cleared the ropes with ease. He reverse paddled Nathan Lyon for 3 consecutive fours and raced from 89 to 101 - an incredible way of reaching a century! du Plessis joined the party and smashed 3 boundaries in one over from Johnson. The pair put on a superb century stand at 7 runs per over - a partnership dominated by de Villiers, before du Plessis fell to Johnson for 27. The lead was over 600. Johnson had taken 4 wickets. Mitchell Johnson could not be kept out of the action. He took a diving catch to send Peterson packing for a duck. South Africa had moved to 539 for 7 and led by 601. Mitchell Starc ended the carnage unleashed by de Villiers when he got the right-hander caught by Wade for a breathtaking 169 off just 184 deliveries. The innings included 21 boundaries and 3 massive sixes. He had played every shot in the book - the cut, the pull, the hook, cover drives, flicks and a few outside the coaching manual - the reverse hockey paddle sweeps, heaves over mid wicket etc. The innings finally ended at 569. Mitchell Starc had taken his first fifer in Test cricket. He ended with 6 for 154 off his 28.5 overs while his namesake, Johnson, chipped in with 4. Australia needed an improbable 632 for victory. David Warner got a few boundaries and looked positive. Ed Cowan was his usual dogged self. The Australian pair survived a hostile spell from Steyn and Morkel and were 40/0 from 13 overs at Stumps on Day 3. They need a further 592 for victory. It was a day that belonged to the 2 A's - Amla and AB. They plundered and massacred the hosts' bowling attack. Australia will not go down without a fight though. They never have - its not in their DNA. And this time they have a cause to play for - one of their greatest cricketers - Ricky Ponting! Who knows - miracles do happen!